Districts already holding back students in advance of new state law

Monday

Jul 30, 2012 at 12:01 AMJul 30, 2012 at 11:36 AM

At Hamilton Elementary, repeating a grade is a matter of playing catch-up. "The old thinking was, 'Yes, some of these kids weren't at grade level, but we're not going to hold them back,' " said Susan Witten, Hamilton schools' director of teaching and learning. "It was seen pretty much as a punishment, as a negative. We've reversed the way we thought about it."

Charlie Boss, The Columbus Dispatch

At Hamilton Elementary, repeating a grade is a matter of playing catch-up.

"The old thinking was, 'Yes, some of these kids weren't at grade level, but we're not going to hold them back,' " said Susan Witten, Hamilton schools' director of teaching and learning. "It was seen pretty much as a punishment, as a negative. We've reversed the way we thought about it."

This fall, a new state law takes effect, requiring school districts to hold back students who aren't reading proficiently by third grade. Hamilton schools already are holding back more young students.

Last year, 75 children in kindergarten, first, second and third grades were held back - more than twice as many as in the previous year. This fall, 60 elementary students are repeating a grade. School officials say that if students have to repeat a grade, it should be before they reach third grade.

"Based on the curriculum now, kids need to be reading at first grade," Witten said.

"If they don't know how to identify letters and sounds and read or write simple sentences, if they haven't had exposure to it, to expect them to go from ground zero to reading is asking a heck of a lot for a kid, even with the best teachers."

Reynoldsburg school leaders are working on a policy that could hold back second-graders who aren't reading at grade level.

"The earlier you can intervene with kids, the better off you can help with their socialization and reading at grade level," said Superintendent Steve Dackin, who supports the new state law.

Dackin expects to present a policy to the school board in coming months; if approved, it could take effect in the 2013-14 school year.

But some experts say there is no evidence to show that holding back students works. It stigmatizes children and can be considered a discriminatory practice when certain groups of children are targets, said Beth Graue, executive director of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research.

She said minorities and impoverished children tend to be held back more than some other groups.

"It's something that the policymakers and legislators grab onto because it intuitively makes sense," said Graue, a professor at the University of Wisconsin. "If students don't have what they need, you can go back and teach them those skills."

Schools should focus their efforts on assessing children and providing additional help based on their needs, she said.

Local districts rarely hold back students at the elementary level. Of the 2,046 Columbus students held back in the 2010-11 school year, 150 - or 7 percent - were in kindergarten, first and second grades.

In Olentangy schools, just 13 kids had to repeat a grade in 2010-11. They were all in kindergarten.

Under the new law, schools must annually assess students starting in kindergarten and help those reading below grade level - a practice many districts already follow.

Students who still score below "proficient" on the state's third-grade reading test must repeat a grade, with exceptions for children who have special needs or limited English skills.

Hamilton schools have been monitoring students' reading skills since kindergarten.

If a student is behind grade level and not showing enough growth by February, school leaders recommend that the child repeat the grade. Parents are invited to talk to teachers and administrators to make sure it's the best decision for the child.

"We see it more as a preventative," Witten said. "We want to prevent future problems that can come up."

cboss@dispatch.com

@cvrboss

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